Parent area

The information below has been designed to help parents and carers access helpful information on careers, labour market information and post-16 options. The pages have been designed to help you feel more informed and to have access to one site where you are signposted to an array of helpful, relevant and useful information. The volume of information out there can be daunting, so we have selected what we believe is the most helpful.

There are a variety of educational routes available to students when they leave Heartlands Academy. You can click on the links below to find out more.

Labour Market Information

It is important to keep up to date with what is happening locally, nationally and internationally with careers. Birmingham’s Labour Market Information is a useful place to start. Please refer to the LMI section on the Gatsby Benchmarks page for further information.

Advice and Support

The information below offers helpful advice about starting career conversations with young people.

Useful Parent Links

• Careers Pilot – information to help parents and carers support young people in making the right decision about study and work
• Parent Kind – support and advice for parents.
• Talking Futures – a parents toolkit for careers conversations.
• Parent Perspective podcast – a careers podcast series for parents and carers.
• Career Map – you can subscribe to Careermap from this link. Careermag for parents connects parents, guardians and carers with up-to-date labour market information. They explain the various qualification routes available and bust myths and misconceptions along the way.
• Start Careers – a superb starting point for career conversations.
• My Choices – parent and careers guide

Supporting your child to develop their skills

• The parents guide to virtual work experience
• Skills Builder – a site to helps build careers skills at home.

Post-16 providers

The following links take you to local colleges and open days. The virtual tours offer helpful insights.

• Open days
• Virtual Tours of local Sixth Forms and Colleges
• Central BMET site
• Matthew Boulton College
• Sutton Coldfield College
• James Watt and Erdington Skills Centre
• Training Providers

SEND and SEND Providers

• BirminghamCcareers Service – This is a detailed list of Independent Specialist Providers (ISPs) and local colleges who offer supported/foundation learning options, in and around the Birmingham area.
• Get Ahead – a toolkit and resource co-produced with and for disabled young people. The newsletter and magazine will help you navigate the wide range of information and resources that are available in post-16 education, training, and work. It is a platform where young people can have their voices heard and share the many talents they have.
• Get into Apprenticeships
• BASE – assist people with disabilities by encouraging the provision of support into employment
• Ambitious About Autism

Appentiships

What is an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships allow you to combine work and study by mixing on-the-job training with classroom learning. You’ll be employed to do a real job while studying for a formal qualification, usually for one day a week either at a college or a training centre. By the end of your apprenticeship, you will have gained the skills and knowledge needed to either succeed in your chosen career or progress to the next apprenticeship level.

Eight facts you need to know about apprenticeships

1. An apprenticeship is a real job available to individuals aged 16+ (with no upper age limit). Apprentices are typically employed for at least 30 hours per week.
2. There are thousands of apprenticeships in more than 170 industries.
3. New apprenticeships are advertised each week covering a wide range of job roles. You will be amazed at the variety and breadth available!
4. Apprenticeships last a minimum of 12 months Most apprenticeships take between 1 – 4 years to complete. It will depend on the level and delivery model of the apprenticeship.
5. Apprenticeships range from level 2 to level 7 There are apprenticeships at levels equivalent to GCSEs right up to Master’s level and you can now achieve a degree through an apprenticeship.
6. Apprentices do not pay for their training. All apprenticeship costs are paid for by the employer and/or the government, meaning that an apprentice will never have to pay for their training.
7. Apprentices will receive 20% off-the-job learning. 20% of an apprentice’s paid time will be spent undertaking off-the-job learning and gaining valuable skills and qualifications.
8. Apprentices are paid a salary. All apprentices will earn a salary of at least the National Minimum Wage for apprentices which is currently £4.81* per hour. Many employers pay more! Apprentices will spend 80% of their time on-the-job 80% of an apprentice’s paid time will be spent on the job, working with colleagues to learn new skills and gain experience in the workplace. *The National Minimum Wage for apprentices is reviewed each April.

Levels of apprenticeships

Traineeships: Level 1 or Level 2 (equivalent to GCSEs or below). These last a maximum of 6 months, they are unpaid but you gain skills and qualifications.

Intermediate Apprenticeships: Level 2 (equivalent to 5 GCSEs)

Advanced Apprenticeships: Level 3 (equivalent to 2 A Levels)

Higher Apprenticeships: Level 4 and above (equivalent to foundation degree and higher)

Degree Apprenticeships: Level 6 or Level 7 (equivalent to a bachelor’s or master’s degree)

Where and when are Apprenticeships advertised?

• Careers fairs
• Company websites
• On the search tool on Unifrog
• National apprenticeship website – www.apprenticeships.gov.uk (usually from November)
• Social media: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn

Helpful apprenticeship links

• Apply for apprenticeships
• How to find and apply for an apprenticeship with Make UK
• Get The Jump Explore your education and training choices
• Short films about apprenticeships
• The which guide to higher and degree apprenticeships
• Amazing Apprenticeships
• Not Going To Uni

Traineeships

Traineeships the perfect way to gain experience and to build your confidence. They are designed to help you take the next step into an apprenticeship, work or study.

A Traineeship is a fully-funded education and training programme for 16-24* year olds (*25-year-olds with an Education, Health and Care Plan) to build employability skills and gain valuable sector-based experience through a work placement.

• Find a traineeship
• Traineeship information webinar

T-levels

• T Levels – the next level qualification
• What are T-levels?

Types of Jobs

Students who have a vision of where they want to be in the future may find it easier to plan their next steps. To help students and parents to get an idea of what types of jobs are out there; the following links might be helpful.

• I Could – career ideas and information for your future
• Career Pilot – a helpful overview of options and careers
• National Careers Service – the National Careers Service site

How we support SEND students through careers

As an academy, every Heartlands’ student benefits from:

• A CEIAG curriculum embedded within weekly PD sessions
• Assemblies from post 16 and 18 further education and training providers
• Workshops from local and national employers
• Careers fairs
• Careers in the curriculum activities and trips
• Independent careers advice

In addition to this, our SEND students also benefit from:

1. 1 Independent careers advice (from a qualified adviser)
• Year 11s – monthly
• Year 10s – termly
• Years 7-9 – bi annually
2. 2 Pupil voice
• Completion of careers coach in computer science
• Feedback from students on which employers, and further education providers they would like to hear from
3. 3 Post 16 support
• Personalised Post 16 college, sixth form and apprenticeship application workshops
• Personalised college application, interview and conditional offer carousel

Finding our more

If you would like any further information about our careers programme, please contact Mrs E Jones, or Mr M Ranford:

To view our latest careers guidance and provider access for education and training providers policy, please view our policies page.